My friend and I came in for our free trial class I'm fairly new to Muay Thai and she's has 5 years…read moreof training under her belt. The gym knew both of these things going in. I understand that pad conditioning is a real and valuable part of Muay Thai training, coaches will hold or hit pads to build a fighter's tolerance to impact, sharpen reflexes, and simulate the unpredictability of a real exchange. That's a legitimate, time-tested method, and I went in expecting and respecting that this sport involves contact. What happened here wasn't that. Within the first 30 seconds of class, during the cardio warm-up jog, before any pad work, drills, or instruction had even started, the instructor came up behind my friend and struck her on the back with a pad, completely unprovoked and with no warning, no context, and no setup that this was a conditioning exercise. She turned around and calmly told him not to hit her like that. His response was to grab his things, walk out, get in his car, and drive off. He never came back. He left a room full of students, including a near-complete beginner with no instructor for the rest of class. Sucker-hitting someone from behind during a warm-up jog isn't conditioning, it's just catching someone off guard, and walking out when she objected isn't discipline, it's a tantrum. Another staff member stepped in and taught the rest of class, and she later texted me offering me a complimentary private training session with her to apologize for such a poor experience. I accepted as I wanted to give her a second chance and take advantage of an opportunity to hone my skills. A few weeks later, when I showed up to the session after confirming with her the day before, I found out she had forgotten about it, and was more than a half an hour away. I felt completely disrespected as I'd left work early, driven over, and reserved time for her to make amends for the gym's previous mistake. It was silly of me to give this establishment a second chance as once again my time was disrespected and wasted by unprofessional behavior. What bothers me most is what an experience like this does to someone's first impression of the sport. Muay Thai should be accessible to everyone as it's a discipline built on technique, respect, and gradual trust between student and coach, not intimidation. Experiences like this that can quietly push people away from a sport before they ever get the chance to actually learn it. That's a real loss, because this sport has so much to offer when it's taught well. I have been encouraging other women, and the LA Muay Thai community at large, especially beginners, to not give this place your time or money.

The most non-commercial real deal Muay Thai kickboxing facility. In a male dominated sport I am so…read moreimpressed with the awareness of all Instructors with their students within the four walls of class & how they partner students up appropriately by skill level,it's mostly male dominated, but everyone treats you with the upmost respect, including holding you accountable to ensure that you give your All even as a female. I have never felt more comfortable and empowered in my life: I'm used to coach Ariel, who is amazing, and I dare to venture out to and today had Coach ED IN GLENDALE, when I arrived, I thought maybe I was in an advanced class and Coach Simmy held me accountable to believing in myself that I belonged in that class most importantly that I was capable. I don't know if it's the mission statement. I don't know if it's the core or business objectives of MTK, but the blueprint is clear from their NOHO location to Glendale. WINNERS WIN It takes a lot to impress me. I pay money not only to learn the skill, i you pay for the experience. Worth every penny. And you SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA KICKER! lol

I dropped in twice. First time I didn't stay for any training as the instructor said he wouldn't be…read moreinvolved that day. He said that was typical for weekends. Came back on a weekday and stayed for training... he was barely involved in training that day. I understand how someone might think he is rude but I wouldn't go that far, really he just comes off as checked-out and not interested in his gym / business. The session is about 1/3rd combat sport related. The other 2/3rds is light cardio drills you can do in your own home. The other attendees are more willing to help and with that I would say this place serves more of a sparring club than a serious training gym.

The Yard and Yoshi are excellent. This review will hopefully be helpful as an update to how class…read moreis run (since class has changed a little). First my background: I've trained Muay Thai for two years (first time was in April of 2022). I've trained at 7 gyms: FLMT (Florida Muay Thai , OC MT, Team Oyama, Classic Fight Team, Rising Suns Thai Boxing, NELA Combat Fitness, and Boxing Works. My home gym for the last year was Boxing Works under the instruction of Coach Bryan Popejoy, where I trained 3-4 days a week and did one on ones once a week for about 3 month. I would've stayed there however I recently moved to Northeast LA (Highland Park) and the drive to Torrence for BW was too much (about an hour to an hour and a half drive there and 40 minutes on the way home). Whereas the Yard is a 6-minute drive from me with ample sessions. Second, class style: Classes are Monday through Friday: 8-9:30, 10-11:30, 4-5:30, and 6-7:30pm and then two sparring classes on Saturday from 9-10:30 and 11-12:30. As far as I'm aware, Yoshi teaches each class and he does an excellent job. At other gyms, I feel much more advanced then I do at the Yard. Lots of basic bad habits that I got into are getting fine-tuned and corrected. A typical class is organized in four parts: (1) Cardio: A five minute round of jump ropes and then a 30 minute cardio session where we jog, sprint, do knees, teep across the mats. (2) Bagwork We then do several rounds of shadow boxing where Yoshi will make small adjustments to our form. From there, we all go on the heavy bags and practice whatever we want to work on for several rounds while Yoshi works one on one with us on pad/mitwork. This is where I think the Yard shines. If you go to a class with few students, you are essentially getting a free one on one. When you're not working one on one with Yoshi, you are working the bag. (3): Drills/Sparring From there, we work on a specific technique through partner drills and then light technical sparring. Yoshi is very attentive as he goes around and makes adjustments and suggestions. On Fridays the technique is clinch focused; which is really great. Many gyms in Southern California lack emphasis on the clinch. (4): Burnout/core work: We end with 3 minutes of ab/core work and then a minute plank. Sometimes we will burnout with skip knees on the bag. Overall: An excellent choice. I can't speak to how it would be for a beginner, as I came with two-years of experience. I imagine it would be a great place to start. Potential cons: I do not see people doing drills on thai pads (where one partner holds pads and the other hits). Typically, a Muay Thai class is 1 hour. At the Yard, it is 1.5 hours. Which means its a little more demanding. At this point, I cannot train every day even if my schedule allowed it because my body and cardio is just too shot. I imagine with time, that'll change.

Sick gym been coming here for a year now and their bjj and striking is legit asf would recommend to…read moreanyone

I had been a member of RGLA for a while and the only reason I left was that I left the LA area…read more What I appreciated the most with RGLA was that there were so many offerings. I didn't just attend the jiu-jitsu class but went to yoga, judo and even the HIIT class. The only class I didn't take was their Muay Thai class, not because there wasn't an opportunity to but I wanted to focus on grappling. When I started they had just moved into their current space-they moved so there could be an outdoor space for classes during COVID and even after moving indoors after restrictions lifted they continually sought to improve the experience for their members. Even after I stopped being a dues paying member I was allowed to drop-in for free and still remembered and greeted fondly.

I've been doing Muay Thai for 14 years, give or take…read more Most of that time was spent doing it one-on-one with trainers, which was awesome for personal attention and scheduling, but expensive and hard to stay consistent with. But they were able to be patient with me, to explain things repeatedly--I'm very visual and super literary but much less intuitive when it comes to athletics--and this helped me learn the basics of the art of Muay Thai. And then my last trainer got too busy to keep going. So I tried a bunch of Muay Thai gyms, never really finding anything that matched the return I got from 1-on-1 training. Then one day I spotted NELA Combat Fitness on a Figueroa corner and got intrigued. I tried a class and loved the energy of the space. Highland Park is a wildly creative area, and the experience at NELA Combat Fitness mirrors this: The people are diverse, upbeat, inclusive and very dedicated to the art of Muay Thai. You might find a 50+ year old like me training with someone in their early 20s, and this dynamic is always approached respectfully. Ed, the owner, is a true gem of a human being: warm, funny, and with deep history with and knowledge of Muay Thai, and he teaches with a razor sharp eye and the communication skills to help keep things safe and to level up your game. The gym itself is spotless, well-designed and comfortable. One way that the absolute courtesy with which the gym operates shows up is when we go return Thai pads or kick shields: cleaning wipes are shared and pads are stacked in an orderly way. Every teacher approaches class a little differently, but if you show up, know that you are in for a wonderful workout that is easily tailored to your skill level. The music is always different and always good. You will be inspired to push yourself beyond your limits, outside of your comfort zone. You will grow, you will sweat, and you will learn. And you will emerge a stronger person. And about Muay Thai overall? It's the best. I feel elevated and calm afterwards, able to take on anything life throws my way with compassion. That's the irony - punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing it out for an hour actually makes you a calmer, kinder person. Your baseline is reset and your cardio and strength gets better and better. I truly feel like I've found a gym that I want to stay a part of. Thank you, Ed, and thank you NELA Combat Fitness community.

I have been coming here for about a month and have nothing but great things to say about the gym…read more Always clean and tidy plenty of equipment available. Coach Ed is amazing this gym is truly for all levels from beginners to more experienced. & everyone there is super welcoming and more than willing to help. I totally recommend checking the gym out!!!

Zenki Dojo has become my home away from home. When I'm not working, eating, or sleeping I'm at…read moreZenki training Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Zenki is part of the Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu network and all belt promotions are handed out by Rodrigo Gracie. Sensai Tim Santos along with Greg Hall, and Gavin Atkins, are great Jiu Jitsu instructors with a long history on the mats. The other schools in the network (Neutral Grounds in Long Beach / Pat King in Northridge) are also good places to visit and train. Neutral Grounds instructor, Evaldo Lima, also makes guest appearances to teach once in a while. Zenki offers many other classes, and they look great, but Jiu Jitsu is my thing. Even though I have dabbled in some cross fit, yoga, and personal training. Community is a big part of Zenki. Many of these people are great friends and it feel like family. Zenki isn't the largest or most up to date facility, but the size adds to the charm and builds character. See you on the mat. :) oh yeah.... Free yoga on Sunday!

This place is awesome!!! What a legendary neighborhood gym for everyone of all walks--all ages,…read moremale and female alike, all creeds and colors. Come here and learn how to be powerful and defend yourself.

I've always been interested in martial arts, and I finally decided to join this Muay Thai gym in…read moreNorth Hollywood. David and Anthony are amazing coaches. They each have their own unique teaching style, but both are incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and motivating. From day one, they made me feel welcome and pushed me to be better every session. No matter who's leading the class, you're guaranteed a great workout and an opportunity to improve your skills. I highly recommend this gym to anyone looking to learn Muay Thai in a welcoming, professional, and motivating environment!

Best gym in the area with the best trainers. Real Muay Thai gym! Been coming here 2 years and it's…read moregot me into the best shape of my life!

Great place to train great place to work hard, they have trained many mma fighters, Very good…read morecoaches to.

The best coaches its been months im there i already feeling changes on me my body my strength speed…read morethanks coach Edmon and Levon

Wanted to sign up for a membership. Called both phone numbers a few times, no answer and didn't get…read morea call back. Text the number... nothing. So I made the trip and showed up to the facility, doors were unlocked; walked in ... no one to be found stood there for 29 minutes. I started walking down the hall to find someone and I heard someone inside one of the rooms lock the door but never come out. HOW DO WE GET AHOLD OF ANYONE, how do you sign up??????

Thank you Kru Puk for always pairing me with a partner whenever I was running late and by myself…read moreduring classes... Thank you to Kru Jonathan for always being an INSPIRATION...you a real one. I learned a lot at this gym, it was a great intro to Muay Thai. And? It was a BLAST! Super fun! -V

Absolutely recommend! First of all would like to say that…read morethis place will definitely motivate you to do your best. Thanks to amazing coaches and amenities available you will be able to achieve your goals quickly. The space is big and can accommodate decent amount of people. Do not hesitate go to Taejo

My friend and I have been looking to try kickboxing so we stopped by the Monday 3PM kickboxing…read moreclass. Our instructor was Niko and there was another instructor who helped do demonstrations. We began the class with an alternating jumprope/punching warm up (about 10 minutes) and transitioned to punching with gloves in partners after. Because it was both my friend and my second time kickboxing ever, Niko helped hold the pads for us and went over the basics. Majority of the others in the class seemed pretty experienced and were able to jump into the more complex combos that Niko was providing. I appreciated how Niko was so helpful and encouraging, even though my friend and I had much less experience than those around us. In the short period of time, we were able to learn and practice jabs, crosses, hooks, knees, and kicks. After about 40 minutes of using the gloves, we ended with a quick 5 minute ab workout. Overall, such a solid workout, way to relieve stress and build confidence. Even through attending one day, you can tell everyone in the gym is pushing themselves and constantly seeking to improve, which makes it a great place to learn and be challenged. Quick note on parking: street parking (most of the spots nearby are 1 hour maximum, which works out since the class lasts for an hour)

Took my first class of jiu jitsu ever. I was looking for a welcoming encouraging environment. A…read morecouple friends told me about this place. I signed up for a free class and it looks like I'll be joining as a member in September. Very cool place. Very welcoming environment and people. I just found out another friend trains there as well.

Amazing place to train. I'm dropping in from San Jose, CA and always hear my coach Matt talking…read moreabout Paul. I went in the AM class and Dom (10x world champ btw) was teaching which was awesome. Super friendly people and a mix of different training partners. Facility and mats were very clean. Lots of cubbies to place your gym bag and benches to sit down. I highly recommend! Thank you Dom, Paul, and Frogtown!